Perspectives: Matthew Boudreaux on Rope Tows and Flip Phones

Matthew Boudreaux, aka Boody, is a unique, magical, snowboarding unicorn with a beard. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone quite like him before. He's quiet, humble, no nonsense, and does exactly what all of us have done, or at least aspire to do, at some point in our lives: work hard in order to snowboard more. He's got no MO or alternative agenda. He simply wants to ride the ropes of his local establishments, travel, and keep it real. If you want some sort of proof, you'll have to look to his video parts, online or otherwise, as he as no real social media presence to speak of – hence the hashtag created in his honor, #wheresboody. His style is remarkably Midwest and effortless. It'd be a very easy argument to make that the now fairly common act of buttering whilst riding rails was heavily influenced by none other than Boody. If you ever need to get in touch with him, check the hills of Highland or Trollhaugen, or hit him on his flip phone. I guarantee he'll answer. — Justin Cafiero

How did you first get involved with snowboarding?

Like most people I think? I had a sick crew of kids in my neighborhood that would all link up and go sledding together. One of which, Alex, had an awesome hill in his backyard a three tiered monster hill. As we got better and better at sledding we would see who could stand up on the sled the longest. For one Christmas I got a box in a box in a box in a box with a letter in it that said, “Look under our bed,” signed Mom and Dad. Sure as shit my first snowboard was under there, a Black Snow. That was the beginning of the end. Every day I was at Alex’s house boarding my little face off. Eventually, some of the other neighbors got boards with bindings and edges. So, I begged my parents for one those boards too. Target had boards with bindings that strapped my feet to this piece of plastic with metal edges. That opened up a big can of worms because now when we would hit jumps our boards would stay attached to our feet. Jumps would get bigger and bigger, the next door neighbors' garden planters became ledges and so on and so forth.

Boody with the backlip wallride. Photo: Stephan Jende

How did you get ingrained in the local Midwest scene?

Let's jump to 5th grade – my school did these ski trips to Afton Alps. That was the first time I think I went to a resort. There I slid my foot into a pair of real snowboard boots with these weird metal pegs coming out of the side of them and a Burton snowboard with step in bindings. Shit was crazy! My ma made me take lessons. Probably smart because I was used to riding the backyard pow field, not an icy death slope. It was probably the best time I could have asked for. Made a new friend that day and his name was Jake Durham. Who would have thought that we would become the best of friends and still be friends to this day?

So Jake and I became friends and that was the beginning of getting involved in the local scene. We would go to Hyland because that was the closest spot to us. Once Hyland became the daycare center for everyone, you just start to Make Friends. I think most of my closest friends that I have today have come from people that I grew up snowboarding with at Hyland.

What are the local resorts that you most often frequent, and why?

Hyland because home is where you MAKE it. I stopped calling people to see if they want to go there because most times they’re already there or lacing up to get there. So, why waste the minutes?

Trollhaugen, is a little slice of heaven nestled in the St. Criox river valley. There is no bullshit there. They just want you to come there and have FUN. It’s Trolltastic!

You've clearly made an effort to stay rooted in the Midwest - how did that decision come about and how has it shaped your riding?

It seems that way huh? I tried to move out to Mantana after I dropped out of college. Another of my best friends was going to school out there, you may know him as Thorblood or Jack Thonvold, he was out there going to school in Bozeman. I had been in the Midwest for so long and figured that I could let the powder hound out and chase some snow. But I didn’t. I stayed and continued to film and ride the ropes. Not to mention I had zero dollars to my name and six months before I had to start paying back student loan debt that gave me a lot of good times but no degree or even close to it. That is about when I started working at Hyland being more than just an instructor. Thank you Hyland for all the you taught me about ski area maintenance.

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When and how did you first get involved with The Interior Plain Project?

Was pretty funny, I was sitting in a boat on my day off at the scout camp that i worked at. Peter Harvieux called me out of the blue and asked if I would be interested in riding for a company that he was starting this winter. I was very down, being that the company I was riding for prior was not really trying to help me out. I have been a part of The Interior Plain Project from the beginning. Dark Meadows to Kingdom and on. Pete is the man and I love the stories that each of our collections have with them.

How are you continuing your relationship with them in the future, any plans for videos or projects soon?

I would love to always be a part of this brand. The passion that Pete has for us kids is insane. Huge shout out to the Harvieux fam for taking us on this epic journey. How I am going to continue my relationship is on a board, as long as we snowboard with an IPP under our feet. I wish people wouldn’t be afraid to ask what kind of board I'm riding and how they can get one. The next step is on them. As for video and other projects that is up in the air. I just try and film with everyone who is out and about. This year I am opening myself up as I will not be working at a resort full time. I hopefully stack enough dough this summer so I can just work part time and snowboard with all my friends and film it – or not.

Chris Duncan and Boody in their element. Photo: Stephan Jende

You're pretty notorious for owning a flip phone and not having an Instagram account. You're kind of like snowboarding's man of mystery. What's your take on snowboarding in the digital era and using it as a platform for self-promotion?

That is correct – I do not have a pocket computer or an Instachat. Thank you? When I first read this compliment / question, my first thought was that you could write a book or two on this topic. And, before I get into it I would like to thank all of my friends out there that point those little black boxes at me! Do you, Imma do me, see you on the slopes! (World's shortest book.)

Do you see any sort of lost opportunities due to not having much of a social media presence, or has all the extra free time just made you way better at snowboarding?

Sure I’ve missed out on some things because I don't number-sign all of the people/companies that have helped me do what I love to do, which is being on a board with like minded peeps. I wouldn’t say that all of the extra free time that I have saved from looking at a screen has made me a better snowboarder, because there are some goddamn amazing boarders all over this world. It has, however, made me more aware of my surroundings. It also makes me laugh being in a room filled with friends and see them all on their phones laughing about things that are tailored for them to laugh at and be interested in.

Boody’s got that big backside on lock. Photo: Stephan Jende

It seems like you travel quite a bit during the season - where did you go, and why?

You know, this winter was different then most of the winters that I have had in the past. I hit a lot of the Snowboy events this winter: Bogus Project, Butter Ball, and Howly Bowly. If you are reading this and ever get an invite to one of these events, REPLY TO THAT EMAIL! Even if you can't make it. Unless you don’t want to ride the radness that these events are.

The Bogus Project email came to me and of course I was going to go there because that's Corey McDonald’s (C Mac) home turf and I ain't never boarded there before. And what a hell of an excuse to take some time off of work and go board with a bunch of awesome people. Thanks to C Mac for tour guiding us around on that epic pow day.

Butter Ball was a very last second decision to go to and god am I glad I did. I quit my job and bought a ticket and flew there not knowing that they were getting SEVEN feet of schnee! An epic present. I would like to take this time and thank Keenan Cawley for driving through that mess to pick up this mess. Youda best DAWG! But, yeah got there, had an egg on some toast, geared up and went up to Boreal to help the boys move snow that just kept falling and falling and falling. Big shouts the the Boreal park staff – you guys kill it and I love riding there. Reminds me of Trollhaugen in CA. Chris Roach and Nail Romanek, I really enjoyed your event. Thank you Krush and Blake for putting in work. Diggers gotta dig.

My (number sign) ROAD TO BOWLY started a month before. I went on a Flux team trip shoot in Washington. And it was tits – I feel I got to experience that Pacific Northwest spring to the fullest. Rain, rain, and more rain with a bit of snow. Which was tight! We rode Snoqualmie and Mission Ridge – both of those resorts were a blast and the crews that ride and work out there are so rad and welcoming. Thank you to them for letting us come out and board, appreciate it. After that was done I met up with my buddy Jack, he just moved out to Sammamish. Saw Super Troopers 2, not too beige. We ended up catching closing day of Stevens Pass. Soooo cool. That was an epic day; found a parking spot, got free tickets, not a cloud in the sky, and we sat in traffic for hours. What else could you ask for? From there we dropped down into Bend, Oregon. Did a quick landscaping project, rode Mt. Bachelor, met up with Blake Geis, and drove up to Mt. Hood to help build Holy Bowly. What a build, melt, build it was. Krush, you do cool things and all of the people that are affiliated to it are RAD! Geo thank you for letting me borrow your boot dryer, I would have died of trench foot otherwise. Neil, Steve, Lucas you guys are the raddest. Sunny and Ronin thank you. Holy Bowly, my god was it HUGE. It was awesome to watch people have that much fun on stuff that we all built.

Big in Japan. Photo: Jordan Enger

Are you involved in any of the Midwest crews, and if so, how did that come about?

Yes, all of them I would like to think. If not, what up, you all snowboard too?

What's it like being ingrained in such a tight knit zone like the Midwest snowboard scene? What makes it different than places like SLC or the East Coast?

Wouldn’t know, never boarded there before. Met some folks from around there. I’m sure it's about the same, maybe.

Can you maybe list or link a few of your favorite full parts or online videos you've been included in?

Anything that Jake Durham has made is my fav. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that. Thanks to VG for sneaking me into their videos over the years, that has been a cool, neat surprise every time. But, to answer the question about my favorite pull fart of mine would have to be my fart from E-gal Eye, I think, or from the SHAPESHFTR movie. Both of these probably because of the music. The E-gal eye part had a song by none other than John Prine called Quiet Man and The IPP part was a track cut by Cellar 62 called Little Plastic Box. Cellar 62 is a bunch of homies out of Mayrhofen, Austria that let me crash at their stops when I went out there on a solo trip. They are the best ever.

How long have you been growing your beard?

I usually give it a good trim in the beginning of the summer and then just lett’r buck.